The Proforma Wizard

Objective

In this exercise, you will use the Proforma Wizard to age client data.

Facts

Option: Instead of creating the following sample client, you can use a client that already exists in your 2004 program.

Enter the following information for a sample client in the 2004 program:

Review the process for transferring all clients in all modules, and then proforma the sample client using the Custom option in the Proforma Wizard. Age all information, and print nothing.

Program Considerations

The following is a list of Proforma features:

• Works in conjunction with all Lacerte Tax programs.
• Converts federal and state entries (state entries may be limited).
• Processes one or more clients at one time.
• Processes one or more modules at a time (Individual, Partnership, etc.)
• Allows you to customize aging selections.
• Allows you to print Proforma data sheets for each client.
• Creates a prior year tax summary for each client (except for Married Filing Separate returns in combined states) in the new data file.

You can use the Proforma Wizard to specify your data path for your clients, change aging selections, and determine the appearance of your Proforma data sheets.

When you age your clients, the wizard verifies the contents of the data path to avoid overwriting existing data files. If the program finds a data file already in the data path for a currently selected client, the program displays a warning message notifying you that you could potentially overwrite a previously created data file. The wizard also allows you to designate which items are aged and what prints when you age your clients.

Note: Certain tax circumstances force diagnostics to print when you process a client with the Proforma Wizard, whether or not you print data sheets. Therefore, you should connect your system to a printer that is online when you process clients to receive any diagnostic reports.

You can use the Custom selection to change directories (where the 2005 program is/will be installed, where the data is/will be stored).

This selection also allows you to age each selection separately or you can age all selections at one time. When you open next year's software, your system files automatically convert.

Note: The Proforma program does not age any of your system files (i.e., Options, Letters, etc.). These items are pulled into next year's program the first time you open a module.

How?

To Proforma all clients for all modules:

(Review steps only!)

1. Open the 2004 program.
2. On the Tools menu click Transfer Clients (Proforma to 2005).
   
   
3. Click Next on the "Welcome to the Proforma Wizard" screen.
4. Select Transfer all my clients for all modules at once and click Next.





All modules are initialized and all clients prepared for the Proforma process.



5. Select Custom and click Next.
6. Select or confirm the 2005 client data path and click Next.
   
   
   

   Note: Transferring all clients for all modules at once allows you to create a common root directory (i.e., C:\Lacerte\05Tax). Client files for each module will transfer to their applicable subdirectories (IData, PData, etc.).



7. Select the type of client data you want to transfer to the 2005 tax program.
   
   
   

   Note: Click each item in the display to display information about what is actually transferred.



8. Select the information, if any, you want to print for each client that is transferred.
   
   
9. Review the settings you have selected in the Proforma Wizard, and click Transfer Now to begin the Proforma process.

   Warning: Do not click Transfer Now unless you want to Proforma all of your clients for all of your modules.

   Note: If you age a client from the 2004 program that has the same client number as a client already in the 2005 program, you will overwrite any client detail entered in the 2005 program for that client. The following notification appears to warn you and give you the option to cancel the overwrite:

   
10. Click Finish when the process is complete. You can also print the summary if desired.

To Proforma selected clients for one module:

1. Open the 2004 program.
2. On the Tools menu click Transfer Clients (Proforma to 2005).
   
   
3. Click Next on the "Welcome to the Proforma Wizard" screen.
4. Click Select specific clients from the Individual Tax program and click Next.
   
   
5. Select Custom and click Next.
6. Highlight client PROF1 (or the existing client you selected) in the Available Clients list and click Add.
   
   

   Note: You can pre-select the clients before starting the wizard. The highlighted clients will already be displayed in the Clients to Transfer list.



7. Click Next.
8. Select or confirm the 2005 Client Data Path.
9. Select the type of client data you want to transfer to the 2005 tax program.
10. Select the information, if any, you want to print for each client that is transferred.
11. Review the settings you have selected in the Proforma Wizard, and click Transfer Now to begin the Proforma process.

    Note: If you age a client from the 2004 program that has the same client number as a client already in the 2005 program, you will overwrite any client detail entered in the 2005 program for that client. The following notification appears to warn you and give you the option to cancel the overwrite:

    
12. Click Finish when the process is complete. You can also print the summary if desired.

Tips & Shortcuts

You should age all your clients in November when you receive the final program version for the current year. This allows you to simply load the new program when it arrives and have all your clients ready for the new tax season.

Review

You should have been able to age the sample client using the Proforma Wizard and see the following information in the 2005 client file:

Troubleshooting

Problem: After I age the client in the 2004 program, the client does not appear in the 2005 program.

Solution#1: In the 2005 program: On the Client menu, click Refresh or click the Refresh icon on the toolbar.

Solution#2: Make sure the data path in the 2005 program is the same as the destination directory you selected during the proforma process.

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